Breaking the Bank: Jackpot Bliss

February 10th, 2015 by Bob Ehalt

Breaking the Bank - featuring data courtesy of Equibase - highlights the biggest scores of the past week in racing. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)

The Rainbow Pick 6 Jackpot at Gulfstream Park may not be as elusive as it was a year ago, but don’t expect any complaints from the folks fortunate enough to hit it and enjoy financial bliss.

The jackpot was cracked for the third time since Jan. 14 when another wise handicapper had the lone winning ticket and took down more than a quarter of a million dollars - $273,869.92 to be precise – off Gulfstream’s Feb. 5 card.

The jackpot was previously hit on Jan. 23, when the single winner took home $159,411.20. This time, an eight-day carryover was collected largely because of longshots in the final two races that eliminated scores of tickets.

After Celebrity Star won the 10th race at 28-1 odds, all nine starters in the 11th race were covered in the Rainbow Pick 6, but only one of them – Brodies Pick, the 6-5 favorite – had multiple tickets.

In mid-stretch, the jackpot seemed safe as Brodies Pick surged to the lead, but then He Did It His Way came charging from the outside and collared the favorite in the final strides to win by a head – and break the bank for one astute handicapper.

On the very next day, a pick six player at Santa Anita bagged a gargantuan payoff without having to worry about having company at the cashier’s window.

Thanks to a victory by English Art at 36-1 odds in the eighth and final race of the day, the Pick Six was hit to the sweet tune of $177,450.40 for a $2 wager. English Art, who was 10th in his only other start, was the stumper in a sequence that featured two winning favorites and three horses that paid between $11.20 and $15.80.

The highlight of last week’s racing action was the clash between champion Shared Belief and Horse of the Year California Chrome in the San Antonio Stakes, but two races before that epic Feb. 7 showdown at Santa Anita there was a result that fueled a series of payoffs rich enough to put some fortunate handicappers on cloud nine alongside Shared Belief’s connections.

Nestled in between the three graded stakes on the card, the sixth race was a $58,000 optional claimer with a field of 11. Pulling G’s was the 7-5 favorite but a horse named Solid Wager was the best wager. Remaining at the same level where he lost by 10 ¼ lengths in his previous start, the California-bred was so ignored that his odds soared to 68-1.

This time, though, he woke up in the stretch and rallied to win by a head for a $138.20 payoff off a $2 win ticket and secure this week’s “How did you come up with that one?” honor.

That was also just the tip of the iceberg as Solid Wager’s victory ignited a $661.90 payoff for a $1 exacta as well as returns of $25,462.50 for a $1 trifecta and $21,932.20 for each correct 10-cent superfecta ticket.

That same day at Sam Houston Race Park, the 10th and final race went to first-time starter Take the Credit at 7-2 odds who helped illustrate how it is possible to bag a huge payday without an unfathomable longshot in the mix. With prior payoffs of $28.40, $23.60 and 14.40, Take the Credit provided the final nail in a Pick 4 that returned a generous $22,564.40 for a 50-cent wager.

See, who says you need a sledgehammer to break the bank?

Top Payouts for the Week Ended Feb. 8
Wager	Wager Amount	Payoff	Track	Date	Race#
Win	$2.00	$138.20	SA	2/7/15	6
Place	$2.00	$64.00	DED	2/5/15	10
Show	$2.00	$36.60	SA	2/5/15	8
Exacta	$1.00	$661.90	SA	2/7/15	6
Exacta	$2.00	$766.60	HOU	2/2/15	4
Quinella	$1.00	$161.10	TUP	2/6/15	6
Quinella	$2.00	$52.50	AQU	2/7/15	4
Trifecta	$0.50	$1,660.40	DED	2/6/15	5
Trifecta	$1.00	$25,462.40	SA	2/7/15	6
Trifecta	$2.00	$6,965.60	HOU	2/7/15	8
Superfecta	$0.10	$5,094.84	CT	2/4/15	3
Superfecta	$1.00	$219,322.10	SA	2/7/15	6
Superfecta	$2.00	$20,358.20	HOU	2/7/15	4
Daily Double	$1.00	$2,771.70	CT	2/4/15	4
Daily Double	$2.00	$1,343.20	GP	2/8/15	13
Pick 3	$0.50	$1,638.15	MVR	2/4/15	8
Pick 3	$1.00	$4,618.60	GP	2/5/15	11
Pick 3	$2.00	$14,006.40	LRL	2/7/15	9
Pick 4	$0.50	$47,423.85	TAM	2/7/15	11
Pick 4	$1.00	$22,351.90	GP	2/5/15	11
Pick 4	$2.00	$90,257.60	HOU	2/7/15	10
Pick 5	$0.20	$848.84	PM	2/2/15	10
Pick 5	$0.50	$46,508.65	GP	2/5/15	11
Pick 5	$1.00	$16,507.50	HOU	2/7/15	10
Pick 5	$2.00	$15,026.00	AQU	2/5/15	5
Pick 5 Jackpot	$0.20	$1,904.08	LRL	2/8/15	9
Pick 5 Jackpot	$0.50	$11,210.20	FG	2/5/15	9
Pick 6	$1.00	$674.00	TUP	2/3/15	8
Pick 6	$2.00	$177,450.40	SA	2/6/15	8
Pick 6 Jackpot	$0.20	$273,869.92	GP	2/5/15	11
Super High Five	$0.50	$7,241.00	FG	2/6/15	9
Super High Five	$1.00	$34,391.20	SA	2/6/15	8
Super High Five	$2.00	$32,825.20	HOU	2/6/15	10

Click here for a complete list of racetracks with abbreviations.

© 2014 Equibase Company LLC, all rights reserved. Data provided or compiled by Equibase Company LLC generally is accurate, but occasionally errors and omissions occur as a result of incorrect data received by others, mistakes in processing and other causes. Equibase Company LLC disclaims responsibility for the consequences, if any, of such errors, but would appreciate their being called to their attention.

Commonly Used Gambling Terms
Account wagering – Betting by internet or phone, in which a bettor must open an account and deposit money with which to bet. Across the board – A bet on a horse to win, place and show. If the horse wins, the player collects three ways; if second, two ways; and if third, one way, losing the win and place bets. Actually, three bets. Bounce – An especially poor performance on the heels of an especially good one. Box – A betting term denoting a combination bet whereby all possible numeric combinations are covered for certain horses. Bridge jumper – A person who wagers large amounts of money, usually on short- priced horses to show, hoping to realize a small but almost certain profit. The term comes from the structure those bettors may seek if they lose the bet. Chalk – Betting favorite in a race. Chalk player – Gambler who wagers on favorites. Daily Double (or Double) – Type of bet calling for the selection of winners of two consecutive races. Exacta – A wager in which the first two finishers in a race, in exact order of finish, must be picked. Exacta box – A wager in which all possible combinations using a given number of horses are selected. Exotic (bet) – Any bet other than win, place, or show that requires multiple combinations. Examples of exotic wagers are trifecta, Pick 6, Pick 4. Handle – Amount of money wagered in the pari-mutuel system on a race, full day of races, or entire racing season at a track. In the money – A horse that finishes first, second or third. Key horse – A single horse used in multiple combinations in an exotic bet. Morning line – The starting odds set by the track handicapper. On the board – Finishing among the first three. On the nose – Betting a horse to win only. Overlay – A horse whose odds are greater than its potential to win. Pari-mutuel – System of wagering where all the money is returned to the bettors after deduction of track and state percentages. Parlay – A multi-race bet in which all winnings are subsequently wagered on a succeeding race. Part wheel – Using a key horse or horses in different, but not all possible, exotic wagering combinations. Pick (6 or other number) – A type of multi-race bet in which the winners of all the included races must be selected. Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5, Pick 6 are commonly used by tracks in the United States. Place bet – A bet on a horse to finish first or second. Quinella - Bet in which the first two finishers must be picked in either order. Show bet – A bet on a horse to finish in the money; third or better. Speed Figure – A metric that rates a horse’s performance in a race, which is determined by a combination of the horse’s performance and the level of competition he/she competed against. Trifecta – A bet in which the first three finishers must be selected in exact order. Trifecta box – A trifecta wager in which all possible combinations using a given number of horses are bet upon. Underlay – Horse whose odds are more promising than his potential to win. Win – A bet on a horse to finish first. Wheel – Betting all possible combinations in an exotic wager using at least one horse as the key.